President Luis Echeverria of Mexico and Israeli Ambassador Hanan Enor met last week in Mexico City to conclude an agreement in principle to grant El Al landing rights in Mexico’s capital, it was reported in the Jerusalem Post. Echeverria expressed hopes that the final details could be rapidly worked out.
In an interview with Erwin Frenkel, Jerusalem Post correspondent. Mexico’s chief executive stressed his support for Israel and said he hoped the agreement with El Al would help boost tourism to Mexico and also smooth over what he termed “the misunderstanding” with Israel over Mexico’s vote last November in the UN General Assembly for the resolution equating Zionism with racism. In addition to discussing El Al landing rights, Frenkel reported that Echeverria also discussed other measures of cooperation with Enor.
By gaining landing rights, Israel’s national airline would be able to offer American tourists from the West Coast who visit Israel an alternative route home. Mexican officials hope that such tourists would take the opportunity for a stopover in Mexico. Tour operators are expected to offer such combined Israel-Mexico packages once the El Al-Mexico route is established. Echeverria had discussed landing rights for El Al during his visit to Israel last year, but talks were suspended after Mexico’s vote in the UN.
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